Tuesday, July 26, 2016

I just moved into a new house. The walls are all freshly painted a sort of light khaki color. I actually like the color, which surprises me a bit. After over 10 years of being in the same place that was covered with holes (because I am terrible at estimating where I want to hang something) it was so nice to be in a place with smooth walls.

The problem is that it makes me a little paralyzed. I am afraid to hang anything because I know myself and I can't draw a straight line with a ruler. Also, I'm not really sure what I want to display. I want to put up different things than I had up before.

This is what inspired my No-Commitment Wall of Favorite Art and Ephemera.™

As you can imagine with my fear of commitment I have gotten heavily into Command Strip usage. So, I decided to use Command Strips to put up hooks and then display my favorite pieces from my collection along with other artwork I like. This way I can change it around whenever I feel like it and I can take the hooks down without leaving nail marks. Amazing! So, my wall is like one big inspiration board.

My No-Commitment Wall so far.

In order to achieve this, I used some hard PVC Sleeves that I had for storing and protecting my postcard and ephemera collection. These are great things to have just for that reason alone. If you have ephemera or photos that are fragile or that mean a lot to you, sometimes just a soft sleeve isn't enough. These rigid archival sleeves protect them like crazy and BONUS, they are great to use for display.

Another cool bonus of this tactic is that the hard case makes it possible for you to create little collages or your favorite things. For example the letter with the Victorian scrap that I have in the bottom right-hand corner of the above image. That is just two separate things placed together, no gluing needed,

So, here's how you achieve it:

Step One: Buy some Command Hooks you like or use Command Strips on ones you already have.

Step Two: Find some things you want to display and put them in the appropriate size hard plastic sleeves (now conveniently located in my shop).

Step Three: Use binder clips to hang them from said hooks

That's it: You're done and when you decide to take them all down or move them around you'll have a wall free of holes or chipped paint.

The only thing I wouldn't recommend displaying this way is originally painted items. The paint might end up sticking after a long period of time. I don't know this for sure - it's just a guess.

It'll be interesting to see how much my wall grows and what will be on it this time next year. Have fun and if you do this, share it with me on The Cedar Chest Facebook or Instagram page.

Wednesday, June 22, 2016

I bought this real photo postcard many years ago when I was still in California. I liked the image of the woman with the bonnet walking fast through the woods. It wasn't until over ten years later that I realized that I don't think there is a woman in a bonnet - and who wore a bonnet in 1925 anyway, but it is just an illusion made from the dark shadows of the creek in the background - or is it?

I still feel like I see her more clearly than the woods alone. She seems to be carrying something. Do you see her? Is it a person, an illusion or a ghost? Please tell me your opinion.

Friday, May 27, 2016

I have neglected this blog for too long. I could blame it on moving, but that was just part of it. But, the good news is that I am now in a new home with a cleaner office and I am now going to (I swear) finally organize my large ephemera collection, which will include, of course, adding more beauties to the shop.

I also started anInstagram account for The Cedar Chest. You can follow me on there are see pretty things almost daily. Here is a little sneak peek of what I have posted so far on Instagram. I hope to see you there!

Wednesday, March 23, 2016

This repair tag from Grand Electric Co. is the most favorite piece of ephemera I own. The design is sublime; the bright yellow, with nonly the deep black, every squiggle and font. Maybe one day I will blow it up into a poster.

I wish I was friends with Aaron Draplin, because I think he would love this. Have you seen this Aaron?

Tuesday, March 1, 2016

I have been going through all my ephemera collections lately. You wouldn't know it by the quietness on this blog, but I have actually been immersed in my collections of vintage photos, postcards and ephemera.

I've been taking some pics as I discover little collections here and there. Here are some I've discovered. It's funny how you don't realize your collecting something sometimes until you see you've got several of a theme. I like that.

I was pleased to discover I have a collection of Elephant Valentines.

I'm always attracted to photos of shops. I love to see the merchandise and displays.

This is a selection of the dance cards and dance programs I've collected.

These photos are photos I've used in zines. They stand out to me amoungst the rest like they have day glo-paint. I am so familiar with them.

Wednesday, November 11, 2015

Although I use vintage postcards in all kinds of projects and even though I have a huge collection, I don't often display postcards or ephemera in my house. I guess I don't want them to get worn or damaged. However, I should start showing them off more, if for no other reason so that I can enjoy looking at them!

Here is a easy, cheap way to show off your vintage postcard collection without damaging the originals. Just scan and print the postcards you like on cardstock. I used 90 pound, because that's what I had, but something heavier would be better. Then use a hole punch and string with some pretty ribbon or yarn.

In the banner above I used a collection of unique and different Christmas postcards I liked, but you could make the a banner more unified by using all Santa postcards or all carolers or all snow scenes.

And you don't have to stop at Christmas, make a Thanksgiving banner, a New years one or an Easter one. Make one with any vintage postcard or photo collection you have. A banner of all linen postcards of the desert or the seaside would look cool. Also, one of all vintage family pictures would look great.

All you need is a color printer. I have a pretty old inkjet Canon MP600 which still works great.

About Me

I have been publishing zines under the name PonyBoy Press since 1994. Once I moved to Portland in 2000, I also started selling crafts, which I don't do as much these days.
I like home decor, vintage stuff, history, fat activism, zines and web stuff. I also do a blog on vintage photos and ephemera called The Cedar Chest.